Nomination process under way for recognizing agents' outstanding service to their communities
By Robert N. Kretzmer, CIC, CPIA
For each of the past three years, October marks the beginning of our search for insurance professionals who have successfully contributed to the well-being of others. We seek to find, recognize and honor insurance agents who have performed extraordinary service
within their communities. Please join us in identifying these insurance agents and their very special projects.
Our previous award winners and honorable mention recipients all possess similar qualities. They are humble, altruistic, charitable, philanthropic, sensitive, caring, kind and concerned citizens willing to share their good fortune. Each of these independent agents has given from the heart in hope that his contributions have positively affected others' lives. Each feels the need to make his local community a better place to live.
The Rough Notes Company invites its readers to help identify this spirit of giving by nominating independent agent candidates for the 2003 Community Service Award. The nomination process is easy: Simply complete the Nomination Form following this article and include all supporting documentary information, then send to The Rough Notes Company by December 31, 2002.
The Rough Notes Company has been an integral part of the independent insurance agency system since its beginning in 1878 as a weekly publication. "We feel that we have a responsibility to our readers as well as the consuming public to promote the charitable acts of independent insurance agents," says Walt Gdowski, president of The Rough Notes Company. "And, we sincerely hope that this formal recognition will encourage the philanthropic spirit within agents countrywide to become involved within their communities."
The past three award winners
of The Rough Notes Company Community Service Award exemplify our idea of concerned insurance agents who have and continue to help people in need.
* (2000) Al Singer of Teaneck, New Jersey, founded and operates People Against Children Starving (PACS), a cooperative venture with Feed The Children which feeds needy families nationwide.
* (2001) Dick Lees of Pana, Illinois, donated his leadership and hundreds of hours to fundraising to build an emergency room department for his local community hospital.
* (2002) Ken Felton of Vero Beach, Florida, led the effort to create the first Boys & Girls Club in Indian River County, Florida.
The 2003 award winner, honorable mention recipients and a representative of each of their community service projects will be the guests of The Rough Notes Company at an awards dinner held in Indianapolis, Indiana, in late February 2003, in conjunction with the 14th annual Rough Notes Magazine Marketing Agency of
the Year celebration. The award-winning community service project will be presented with a check for $5,000; and, each of the honorable mention projects will receive
$1,500. All winners will receive a sculptured engraved eagle as a token of our appreciation for
their contributions to their communities.
Rough Notes will publish an article about the winning Community Service Award projects and the recipients in the April 2003 issue. Again, we encourage agents, insurance company representatives and others to complete the Nomination Form on page 28, recognizing a deserving independent agent for his or her service to others. Thank you, in advance, for helping us identify worthy candidates for this prestigious award. *
The author
Robert N. Kretzmer, CIC, CPIA, is vice president of Inner Harbour Insurance, Inc. of Bethesda, Maryland, and executive director of The Rough Notes Company Community Service Award.
Award Conditions and Prerequisites
PURPOSE: To recognize and award an independent property/casualty broker, agent or agency that has demonstrated extraordinary community service within his/her/their local, regional or national community. And, to present the winning community service project with a check in the amount of $5,000 to help further its special cause(s).
Criteria: Nominees will be judged on their overall contribution (funds raised, people helped, volunteerism, etc.) to their community service project and/or initiative, and the positive impact (both short-term and long-term) that their efforts have made toward their community service project.
Nomination Period: Nominations will be accepted at the offices of Rough Notes magazine by U.S. mail, overnight delivery or hand delivery up to and including December 31, 2002. No nomination forms will be accepted after December 31, 2002. Please note that no facsimiles will be accepted.
Conditions:
1. Nominators must complete the nomination form in its entirety and provide all supporting documentation;
2. All nomination forms and supporting documentation must be received at the offices of Rough Notes magazine no later than December 31, 2002;
3. No facsimiles will be accepted;
4. All nomination forms and supporting documentation become the exclusive property of Rough Notes magazine. Further, the nomination form and supporting documentation may be used at the sole discretion of Rough Notes magazine to publicize the award and award recipient, and to promote the Community Service Awards program;
5. A letter from the community service project verifying and describing the project must accompany the nomination form;
6. Incomplete nomination forms or nomination forms without supporting documents will not be considered;
7. Nominators may nominate themselves or their agency.
Selection: Designated individuals from The Rough Notes Company
and selected others will review all nomination forms and supporting
documentation and select a winner and honorable mention recipients. The winner and honorable mention recipients will be honored and presented with their awards at the Rough Notes Magazine Awards Ceremony in Indianapolis, Indiana, in conjunction with the 14th Annual Rough Notes Magazine "Marketing Agency of the Year" award dinner. A representative of the winning community service project will also be invited to attend this
function to be honored and presented with a check.
Awards:
1. The winning community service project will be presented with a check in the amount of $5,000 in the name of the award recipient.
2. The winning broker, agent or agency will be presented with a
sculptured engraved eagle and a reproduction of the check to the
community service project.
3. Honorable mention recipients will be presented with a sculptured engraved eagle and a check for $1,500 for their community service project.
4. Rough Notes magazine will publish an article to publicize the
community service project, the award winner and the honorable mention recipients.
Mailing: All nomination forms and supporting documents are to be sent to or received at:
The Rough Notes Company
Attn: Community Service Award
11690 Technology Drive
Carmel, Indiana 46032-5600
Deadline: December 31, 2002 Current Date: / /
I. Nominee Information
Nominee: * Broker * Agent * Agency (please indicate one only)
Nominee Name:
(last) (first) (middle initial)
Agency Name:
Agency Address:
(Street or P.O. Box)
(City) (State) (ZIP)
Telephone: ( ) Fax: ( )
E-mail:
II. Community Service (Charity) Information
Charity Name:
CharityAddress:
(Street or P.O. Box)
(City) (State) (ZIP)
Charity Telephone Number: ( ) Fax: ( )
Charity Contact Person:
(Name & Title)
III. Community Service Project (Charity) Information(required)
Please explain why your nominee should be considered for the Community Service Award by providing the following information and documents:
1. Describe (in detail) your nominee's local, regional or national community service project(s) or initiative(s) to include the short-term and long-term impact on the specific community.
2. Attach pertinent documents to support your nominee. This may include, but is not limited to, newspaper
articles, citations, brochures, videos, press releases, testimonials or other information germane to this award.
3. Attach a letter from the community service project (charity) verifying and describing the foregoing.
4. Attach your nominee's resume or biographical information.
5. Attach any other pertinent information or documents that will aid in the selection of your nominee.
IV.Nominator Information(required)
Name of Nominator:
Agency or Company Name:
Address:
(Street or P.O. Box)
(City) (State) (ZIP)
Telephone: ( ) Fax: ( ) E-mail:
V. Filing Information
1. All nomination forms and supporting documentation must be received at The Rough Notes Company offices by December 31, 2002;
2. Incomplete nomination forms will not be considered;
3. Supporting documentation must accompany the nomination form;
4. All nomination forms and supporting documentation become the exclusive property of Rough Notes magazine;
5. No facsimiles will be accepted;
6. Send completed nomination form and supporting documents to:
The Rough Notes Company
Attn: Community Service Award
11690 Technology Drive
Carmel, IN 46032-5600